The HAP Foundation has officially begun operations. The foundation is an independent, nonprofit hospice and palliative care research and advocacy organization.
The foundation aims to identify and address gaps in the health care continuum to help improve the quality of life for the seriously and terminally ill. It will serve as a hospice and palliative care “education and training hub” for patients, families, providers, and other stakeholders, according to the HAP Foundation.
The organization also deploys community health workers to canvas communities and converse with residents about serious illnesses and care options.
“The lack of access to or understanding of the benefits of hospice and palliative care can negatively impact end-of-life experiences,” HAP Foundation President Joseph Matty told Hospice News. “Research shows that community health workers are bridging this gap, including The HAP Foundation’s team of Community Health Workers who focus on increasing community awareness about and access to serious illness care that meets each family’s needs.”
The new institution carries on the work of the Illinois-based JourneyCare Foundation, an affiliate of the former JourneyCare Hospice that supported community-based palliative and hospice care for patients without insurance or who lacked sufficient resources to pay for services.
The foundation’s launch follows the $85 million acquisition of JourneyCare by the senior services provider Addus Homecare (NASDAQ: ADUS).
HAP Foundation includes a Pediatric Palliative Care program, involving a network of providers that also offers bereavement care services.
“Navigating grief and finding support can be complicated and isolating. Our Missing Pieces program prioritizes access to resources and education by providing a centralized hub for support following child loss through direct outreach to families, professional networking for grief specialists, and community presentations,” Matty said. “Therefore, our network helps people find individualized, meaningful help. We are planning to expand Missing Pieces to address broader grief needs for more families.”
Among the issues the foundation is seeking to address are disparities in access to care, particularly among underserved communities or those experiencing economic, cultural, or linguistic barriers, according to Matty. The organization also seeks to move the needle on late referrals to hospice and palliative care, which sometimes result in patients receiving services for only a few days.
Currently, the HAP Foundation has three community health workers (CHW) working in underserved communities on the north, west and south sides of Chicago, with plans to expand the program across the State of Illinois, according to Matty.
The CHW will offer education on support and care options available to the seriously ill, advance care planning, cancer disparities among Black communities, grief, and caregiving.
“Our CHWs work [is] to restore trust and provide community-focused outreach and education to increase understanding of serious illness care, including hospice and palliative services, while empowering individuals to make informed decisions for their care,” Matty told Hospice News.
Companies featured in this article:
Addus HomeCare Corporation, HAP Foundation, JourneyCare, JourneyCare Foundation, Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care
